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Sao Paulo Basics

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Time

Time: Brazil spans four time zones: Rio and Sao Paulo: GMT -2 (GMT -3 April to October); Brasilia and Belm: GMT -3 (GMT -2 October to March); GMT -4 in the West.

Electricity: Brazil has a variety of electrical voltages, sometimes within the same city, the better hotels offer 220 volts. If not, transformers are available in electrical stores. Outlets often accept a variety of plug types but the two-pin type is standard.

Money: The Brazilian monetary unit is the real (BRL), plural reais. There are 100 centavos to the real and notes come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and BRL100. The US dollar is also welcome in most tourist establishments. In the main cities foreign currencies and travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks or cambios. There is an extensive network of ATMs in the country and most major international credit cards are accepted.


Currency Exchange Rates
BRL 1.00 = A$ 0.66 C$ 0.55 IRR 4.68 NZ$ 0.78 £ 0.29 US$ 0.52 R 4.33

Note: These currency exchange rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.

Language: The spoken language in Brazil is Portuguese, however Spanish and English are also widely used in the cities.

Entry requirements:

Entry requirements for Americans: A valid passport and a visa are required by US nationals, which is valid for single and multiple entries. Visas must be used within 90 days of issuance.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK passport holders do not require a visa for either business or holiday travel for stays of up to 90 days. A valid passport is required.
Entry requirements for Canadians: A valid passport and a visa are required by Canadian nationals, which is valid for single and multiple entries. Visas must be used within 90 days of issuance.
Entry requirements for Australians: A valid passport and a visa are required by Australian nationals, which is valid for single and multiple entries. Visas must be used within 90 days of issuance.
Entry requirements for South Africans: A valid passport is needed, but no visa is required by South African nationals if travelling on holiday or business for up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals need a valid passport, but do not require a tourist or business visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Entry requirements for New Zealand nationals: New Zealanders need a valid passport, but no visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days, for touristic or business purposes.

Passport/Visa Note: All visitors require passports that are valid for at least the period of intended stay in Brazil. Sufficient funds to cover their stay in Brazil, as well as a return or onward ticket and documentation required for further travel is necessary for all travellers. From 23 January 2007 all US citizens travelling to and from Brazil by air will require a valid passport; by 1 January 2008 the requirement will be extended to include all land and sea border crossings as well.

Health: A yellow fever vaccination is recommended for those travelling to rural areas and parts of Sao Paulo and Parana. Those travelling from infected areas require a yellow fever certificate. Typhoid and Hepatitis A immunisation is also recommended. Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria are prevalent and insect protection is strongly advised. Malaria exists below 2,953ft (900m) in most rural areas, and outbreaks of dengue fever occur frequently, and seem to be on the increase. Chagas disease, caused by a parasite, is widespread in rural areas of Brazil. Until recently infection was believed to be from insect bites only, but an outbreak in March 2005 that has caused three deaths in Santa Catarina was traced to the ingestion of sugar cane juice contaminated with the faeces of vector insects, and further cases were linked to the ingestion of bacaba wine from roadside stalls; visitors are advised to seek medical advice urgently if any of the symptoms occur (fever, nausea, muscle aches and pains and/or swelling at the site of the insect bite). Tap water is heavily treated resulting in a strong chemical taste; bottled water is, however, freely available for drinking purposes. Milk in rural areas is not pasteurised. Travellers are advised to take along medication for travellers' diarrhoea. Hospitals in the major cities are fairly good, but medical costs are high and medical insurance is strongly recommended.

Tipping: Nearly all hotels add a service charge to the bill, usually 10%. Most restaurants also add 10% or more to the total of the bill, but must make it clear that they have done so; waiters appreciate another 5% if their service has been good. Brazilians don't normally tip taxi drivers, except if they handle bags, although they may round up the total. Hotel staff expect small tips and most services expect 10-15%.

Safety: Brazil is politically stable with no natural enemies and no terrorist activities. In metropolitan areas, however, petty crime is a fact of life. Rio in particular is regarded as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world and, although violent crime is generally limited to the slum areas, foreign businessmen and tourists are advised to take precautions. Visitors should not attempt to visit slum areas unless on a guided tour. However violent crime is on the increase due to the establishment of drug and criminal gangs around Rio and Sao Paulo. Gun battles between rival gangs, as well as between police and gang members, are becoming more frequent in Rio, causing chaos in the central city. Muggings, often involving firearms, are high and visitors should avoid wearing jewellery and expensive watches, dress down and conceal cameras. Valuables should be deposited in hotel safes. The threat of personal attack is lower outside the main urban centres, but incidents do occur, and women should be aware that sexual assaults have been reported in coastal holiday destinations. Beware of unofficial taxis and those with blacked-out windows and be particularly careful on public transport in Rio, Recife and Salvador. Armed criminals intercepted a taxi carrying foreigners at night from Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport to central Rio on 21 May 2006; incidents like this occur at random along this road, particularly at night. In Sao Paulo, a 'war' between authorities and the PCC criminal gang resulted in violent attacks on police officials, as well as attacks directed against civilian targets, including banks, supermarkets and public transport, as a more effective way to protest against the local government. The last incident was in December 2006, but visitors should be cautious in case of further violence.

Customs:

Brazilian culture is European based and most social customs will be familiar to visitors.

Business: Generally business practices are different throughout the country: very formal in Sao Paulo, but more relaxed in Rio de Janeiro and other centres. Multi-national companies have a similar business etiquette to Europe or the US, while local businesses require a few more considerations, particularly preferring face-to-face meetings above phone calls or written communication. Brazilians place a very high value on personal relationships within business environments and will generally only conduct business through personal connections or with those whom they have already established a personal relationship. All meetings are preceded by handshakes and small talk, and visitors should avoid the temptation to rush things; even after the meeting is over it is considered rude to rush off. Entertaining is common, either at a restaurant or someone's home, again with the emphasis on building personal relationships. Punctuality is flexible, except when meeting at a restaurant, when tardiness is considered impolite, and a small gift or flowers for the hostess is common when invited to a home. Business suits are expected, especially for first meetings. Portuguese is the dominant language, and although English is widely spoken in business an interpreter might be required. Business cards, as well as written documents, should be printed in both English and Portuguese. Masculinity is prided above femininity in the workplace and it is important for men to appear in control at all times, although women will be treated politely. Business hours are 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday.

Communications: The international access code for Brazil is +55. The outgoing code depends on what network is used (e.g. 0014 for Brasil Telecom), which is followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001444 for the United Kingdom). The area code for Brasilia is 61, but the access code to make a call within the country from another area also depends on what network is used (e.g. (014)61 for Brasil Telecom). GSM 900and 1800 mobile phone networks cover the main cities, and phones are available to rent. Internet cafes are widely available. Every town has a central telephone office called a Posto Telefonico, from where long distance calls can be made, and public phone booths are everywhere, operated by phone cards. For cheaper calls, visitors can connect to an operator at home and place a credit card or collect call. Sending mail overseas is expensive, but the postal system is generally reliable and airmail usually takes up to a week.

Duty free: Travellers to Brazil can enter the country with goods to the value of US$500 without incurring customs duty. These include 400 cigarettes or 25 cigars, and 2 litres of alcoholic beverages. Restricted items include fresh produce and plant and animal products. Strict regulations apply to temporary import or export of firearms, antiquities, tropical plants, medication and business equipment.